Light emitter, method for producing light emitter, and biological substance labeling agent

Abstract

A light emitter is formed from nanoparticles including a compound semiconductor containing an Ag component, In component, and Se component. The peak wavelength of the emission intensity falls within the range of 700 to 1400 nm, and the half-value width ΔH for the peak wavelength is 100 nm or less. The light emitted is configured to emit strong light in the near-infrared region, and which is capable of detecting biological information, and is preferred for bioimaging.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A light emitter for labeling a biological substance, the light emitter comprising:
 nanoparticles composed of a compound semiconductor that contains an Ag compound, an In component, and a Se component, 
 wherein the compound semiconductor is a light-emitting material that emits light at an emission intensity having a peak wavelength within a range between 700 nm and 1400 nm, and 
 wherein a mixing ratio of the In component to the Ag component is between 2 and 3 in terms of molar ratio, such that the light-emitting material is constructed to emit light at the emission intensity having the peak wavelength that is 85 nm or less in half-value width. 
 
     
     
       2. The light emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein the peak wavelength is between 700 nm and 1000 nm. 
     
     
       3. The light emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound semiconductor contains the In component in excess with respect to the stoichiometric composition of the compound semiconductor. 
     
     
       4. The light emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein the emitted light comprises an absorption wavelength with at least a portion between 700 nm and 1000 nm. 
     
     
       5. The light emitter according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound semiconductor has an average particle size between 0.1 nm and 20 nm. 
     
     
       6. A biological substance labeling agent comprising the light emitter according to  claim 1 .